Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1887-07-21
THE GOVERNOR DECLINES.

Letter From the Board of Trade to His
ExceIiency and a Reply Thereto
from One II. *. Church.
The following correspondence relates
to the addition to the insane hospital
ordered by the late Legislature, which
the governor will not permit the trustees
to build. The correspondence explains
itself:
THE BOARD OF TRADE TO THE GOVERNOR.
Office of the Board of Trade. Yankton,
D. T., July 9Th 1887. His Excellency,
Louis K. Church, Governor OF Dakota
Territory, Bismarck, Dakota Ter. Sir:
We, the directors of the board OF trade of
the city of Yankton, without party predi-
lection or personal interest. respectfully
request you to consider the following re-
quests toward the welfare OF the Yankton
hospital for the insane. Without dis
cussion OF the details, we realize the I'M.
fortunate situation and do not see any
hope for an early solution OF the difficult
ty except by avoidance, and we trust
You may be able to find and follow
a course in this direction which will APP
pear honorable to you and will also care
for the interests Of the unfortunate class
now seriously suffering by the delay.
Upon the ground of humanity W appeal
to you because as governor you have the
privilege OF the initiative, so far as your
views of the law will permit, and can
use many expedients alike lawful and
honorable, which no Other can employ.
We have no expectation that the present
trustees will resign and d influence
toward that end would be wholly in vain.
We, therefore, beg to suggest to your
exceilency, that you authorize the con-
struction of the wings for the hospital
and the expenditure of the money ap-
proprlated therefor and to secure the
honest and certain use of every dollar
according TO law and good business
rules, You appoint o supervising COM
mittee of three or more OF the leading
| citizens and business men Of Yankton or
the convenient vicinity, who will CO.
operate with the trustees and examine
accounts, progress of work and all
necessary details and shall approve to
the auditor the bills for payment. We
have not suggested this to the trustees
and shall not do SO, preferring to leave to
your excellency all action in the matter
upon such plan as you May adopt. This
communication is aligned and sent to
you privately, wholly without publicity.
We believe, however, that some method
can be made feasible by which the greatly
needed work can now go forward and by
which also both your excellency and the
trustees can be represented responsibility
in the business and the territory fully
protested. The trustees can hardly re-
fuse your right to a full inspection OF the
affairs and they Will hardly object to
any whom you would select to represent
you. The public examiner could per.
haps be used to aid your committee and
to advise you and the auditor upon any
or all accounts.
But, whatever form the suggestion
may assume if you shall decide to act
we urge most respectfully and sincerely
the importance of early action on the
ground of humanity. We are familiar
with the condition OF the hospital and
have been for years. We know that ir
moral, bygienio and medical care It'll
management is superior and no examia-
alton has reflected upon the superin-
tendent, steward OF their assistants
Within the buildings and upon the farm
the management is admirable. Yet th,
condition is daily growing more strained
as the demands upon the institution
increase. We pray you to consider thes'
lectures OF the problem as appealing tt
every instinct of humanity and demand
ing some relief il possible.
The capacity of the hospital under th'
experience Of the experts in the care o
the insane, Is for 100 patients. Their
are now 1872 patients in tn
hospital-forty more than can b
} properly accommodated and treated
Under these conditions it is necessar,
to discharge patients, incurred, an
+. ~probably destined to q life of sufferin,
in the hands of those who do not under
! stand their care, in order to make roor
; for recent GASES, to delay the trentmen
! of which is to permit them to becom
, chronic. They are compelled also t
! refuse admission to patients who TO
9 humanity's sake should be admitted.
In what is known as the "violen
: ward" the patients are equally crowde
and it is NECESSARY to put two IN q be
here as we'll ag elsewhere. THIS is an.
where q great misfortunein the treatmer
ofthe insane and the evil increases anon
the more violent patients. The strong
prevails and the conquered weaker on
arefound in the night or in the mornir
n upon the floor, under circumstance
calculated to aggravate their symptom
ID and delay their cure. A tragedy mi
occur at any time, and the extreme ca
= OF the superintendent and watchers
demanded continually, thus putin
ell in the hospital, inmates, of
GERS and attendants under q serio
10 strain and increasing i~rritations Who'll
10 unsuited to the proper conditions
70 such an institution.
a. We beg to further suggest that pl
rision 10 made by law for electric liof